


Loyalty

by tiger_moran



Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes (Downey films)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-17
Updated: 2013-02-17
Packaged: 2017-11-29 14:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/688132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiger_moran/pseuds/tiger_moran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Moriarty thinks upon the differing loyalties of two of his employees.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Loyalty

   Moran doesn’t knock before he enters the professor’s study – doesn’t think he needs to, and he doesn’t expect Miss Adler to be there too. She glances around at him and he freezes momentarily before dropping his gaze to the floor. Moriarty says nothing. He does not even look towards Moran.

    “Sorry sir,” Moran mutters. “I’ll come back.”

    “No, stay Colonel.” Moriarty’s gaze still remains upon Adler. “Miss Adler here was just leaving.” Indeed now he gives a gesture with his hand and his eyes, directing her to stand and depart.

    Moran keeps his gaze on the floor until Adler has passed him and then he glowers at her back, not bothering to hide his distaste when she flicks a glance over her shoulder and smirks at him.

    “ _Colonel_ ,” she says.

    “Miss Adler.” He gives her no more than the briefest look even when he speaks.  “You surely don’t still trust her?” he says when he is certain that she has gone and the door is firmly closed and locked behind her. He removes his hat as he walks over to the desk.

    Moriarty glances up at him over steepled fingers. “I have never trusted anyone entirely, my dearest Sebastian – present company excepted.”

    “Well then…” Moran sets his hat to one side and places his hands on the desk, leaning forward to meet the professor’s gaze. “You surely do not think her in the slightest bit reliable any longer?”

    “No, I do not.”

    “She is too fond of Holmes.”

    “I am aware of this.”

    “Aye, but are you aware of just how much she may be compromised now by her affections for him?”

    “I have an approximate idea, yes.” Moriarty smiles and beckons Moran closer. Moran obligingly leans further forward, so that the professor may press a brief, surprisingly sweet kiss to his lips. “You do not like our Miss Adler,” he remarks after a moment, brushing his fingertips across Moran’s cheek.

    “Don’t like her, don’t trust her. She has been trying to keep both you and Holmes sweet; doesn’t know which side she’s on any more.” Moran steps back when Moriarty drops his hand. He sits in the chair recently vacated by Adler. Her perfume lingers in the air, he notes, sickly-sweet, floral and feminine, and he screws up his face at the scent. “She has no loyalty to you, sir.”

    “You need not concern yourself with Miss Adler’s loyalties any further.” The professor leans back in his chair now, his hands clasped together across his stomach. “Her next task shall be her last. Her employment with me will shortly be terminated.”

    Moran regards him with a faintly raised eyebrow and a slightly crooked smile. He knows what that means – nobody who knows as much of Moriarty’s nefarious dealings as Adler does can simply walk away. “You will require my services then?” Nice and quick, he thinks; he takes no pleasure in drawing out most of his kills, especially not the women.

    Moriarty too smiles as he stands up. “Not precisely, Moran.” He moves around to stand behind Moran’s chair and claps his hands onto the colonel’s shoulders. Moran does not flinch at this, as he once might have done. “I have something else in mind for her,” he says, his voice low in Moran’s ear as he bends over the colonel. “Something a little less _obvious_ than a bullet through her brain. I will, however, require your assistance.”

    “Of course, Professor.”

    “And your discretion.”

    “Please, as if you need ask for that.”

    “Indeed.” Moriarty twists Moran’s head around and kisses him again, harder and deeper and more passionately now. Moran can smell his decidedly _masculine_ and peculiarly unique scent – a whiff of soap and cologne; the odour of the chalk-dust on his jacket and the ink smudged on his fingers; simply the smell of _him_ , reassuring in its ordinariness after Moran has spent so much time in his life with his nostrils filled with the stink of blood and death.

    Moriarty is seated on the edge of the desk now, leaning forward, his fingers curling tightly in the hair on the back of Moran’s head in a gesture that seems both possessive and yet affectionate while his mouth meets Moran’s still. A few moments more though and he breaks the kiss before sliding off the desk.

    Moran groans softly in protest as the contact is withdrawn.

    “My my, you are always so eager, Sebastian; so _desperate,_ even.” Moriarty notes the growing hardness in Moran’s trousers with an arched eyebrow, but there is still affection in his tone. “Not here, pet, not now.” He leans forward, breath warm against Moran’s ear as he whispers: “ _Later_.” He withdraws again before Moran can get any ideas about continuing now regardless.

   Moriarty smoothes Moran’s hair back down before placing his hat smartly back on his head. “I rather fancy dining out tonight, Sebastian; if you would be so good as to go and arrange that for us. Somewhere nice, hmm?”

    Moran stands up again and gives a slight cough, more to clear his mind of the carnal thoughts that have flooded into it rather than to clear his throat. “Yes sir; of course, Professor.” He adjusts his coat over his trousers, hoping that nobody will notice his somewhat _excited_ state on his way out.

    “Good boy.” Moriarty sits back at his desk and watches the colonel - his good, obedient, _loyal_ Sebastian - move towards the door.

    Moran leaves, still looking faintly flushed and, once the door is closed once more, Moriarty is left alone to muse on the nature of loyalty.


End file.
